MASSENA—Three projects that will contribute to
appreciation and understanding of the St. Lawrence River ecosystem
were recently awarded funding from the St. Lawrence River Research
and Education Fund (SLRREF), that the New York Power Authority (NYPA)
established as part of its relicensing of the St. Lawrence-Franklin
D. Roosevelt Power Project in 2003.

The SLRREF board received nine proposals during its
last application cycle which had a deadline of Jan. 1, 2009. Three
projects were approved by the SLRREF board and were funded for a
total of $36,158. The funded projects were submitted by Clarkson
University, Save The River and The Research Foundation of the State
University of New York (SUNY) on behalf of SUNY Potsdam. The
projects will also receive at total of $16,562 in matching funds
from other sources.

“The preservation of the unique character of the
St. Lawrence River watershed is a goal of the St. Lawrence River
Research and Education Fund and these three worthy proposals will
contribute to that effort,” said Richard M. Kessel, NYPA president
and chief executive officer. “The Power Authority commends the work
of the Fund’s board of directors in evaluating the submissions and
selecting projects to broaden our understanding of this diverse
ecosystem and to protect it for future generations to enjoy.”

The SLRREF board consists of representatives of the
Power Authority, the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, New York Rivers United,
the St. Lawrence-Lewis Board of Cooperative Education Services, the
St. Lawrence County Planning Office, the St. Lawrence-Adirondack
Audubon Society, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and local
municipalities.

Funding for $19,965 was approved for the Great
Rivers Center of Clarkson University for a study of plankton—minute
animal and plant life—dynamics in a large river system. The
research will measure the growth and grazing rates of plankton to
increase the knowledge of how river flows, including those from
nutrient-rich tributaries, and changing water levels in the
International Section of the St. Lawrence River, affect the food
chain among microorganisms. Information gathered will help improve
fundamental understanding on how river flows affect the vitality of
the river ecology and how this knowledge can be applied for better
ecosystem based management.

Last year, a SLRREF grant to Clarkson University
laid the groundwork for this study by establishing a firm
understanding of the state of plankton in the river.

Michael Twiss, associate professor of Biology and
director of the Great Rivers Center at Clarkson University, said:
“The SLRREF-funded research last year supported an intensive study
using sophisticated research instruments and involved several
student interns. Our funding this year will allow work on the river
from spring to late fall, and will enable a significant advance on
understanding how the base of the ecosystem, the river plankton,
functions. Given societal impacts on the river, we need to bring
the best science forward to match the importance of the freshwater
resource that is the Saint Lawrence River so we can help manage it
properly.”

Save The River, designated as the Upper St.
Lawrence Riverkeeper, will use its $8,553 grant to expand its
volunteer-based Riverkeeper Monitoring Program, established in 2008,
to collect data on the general health of the St. Lawrence River.
Information gathered by trained volunteers will be submitted to Save
The River who will share it with appropriate agencies charged with
remediating any potential pollution or wildlife issues with the
river. Save The River will also follow-up on any actions taken by
those entities. The geographic scope of the program will be
expanded in order to increase outreach and education of river issues
to the local communities.

Jennifer J. Caddick, executive director, Save The
River, said: “We are very thrilled to receive this grant to expand
our Riverkeeper Monitoring Program. By training additional
volunteers to monitor river health, we will be able to quickly
identify and respond to potential pollution problems.”

SUNY Potsdam will receive a $7,640 grant to test
the effectiveness of turtle crossing signs as a conservation measure
for Blanding’s Turtles, a threatened species, and other turtle
species. The program provides for the seasonal installation of
turtle crossing signs by selected paved state, county and town roads
in St. Lawrence and Jefferson Counties where significant turtle
crossings have been identified.

Permanent signs are thought to be less effective
alerts as drivers become accustomed to the signs, and pay less and
less attention to them over time. Installing signs only during
prime turtle crossing season will test to see if roadside turtle
mortality drops. The bright signs will be evaluated by driving and
walking surveys to detect and record living and dead species. The
results will help contribute to the development of a multi-faceted
recovery plan for encouraging the resurgence of turtle populations.

Kathleen Chapman, associate director, Research and
Sponsored Programs, SUNY Potsdam, said: "SUNY Potsdam is very
pleased to be selected as a 2009 SLRREF grant recipient. This grant
will enable Dr. Glenn Johnson to continue his vital research program
on the conservation of turtles and other wildlife in the North
Country, as well as take it in a promising new direction."

To be eligible for financial support from the
SLRREF, proposed projects must pertain to the St. Lawrence River,
the adjoining terrestrial features or a tributary within the St.
Lawrence River Valley. As all funding for 2009 was allocated for
these projects, the deadline for the next application submissions is
Jan. 1, 2010.

■ NYPA uses no tax money or
state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of
bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of
electricity. ■ NYPA is a leader in promoting
energy-efficiency, new energy technologies and electric
transportation initiatives. ■ It is the
nation’s largest state-owned electric utility, with 18 generating
facilities in various parts of the state and more than 1,400
circuit-miles of transmission lines. For more
information,
www.nypa.gov.